The pickup truck has been part of the American automotive industry since at least 1925, when the first fully assembled pickup truck was manufactured, the Model T Ford Runabout with a pickup body. In spite of the obvious evolution of these popular vehicles, covers to protect and secure loads carried in the bed have not been perfected.
Pickup campers, particularly the “low line” or “cab-high” models serve effectively as “bed covers” and effectively convert the open bed to a more secure, protected space; however, in addition to expense, some utility of the vehicle is lost owing to loss of flexibility associated with the rigid walls and top of the camper, as well as restriction on the ease of loading and unloading materials from the bed. Generally, campers are not well suited as bed covers for pickup trucks used to transport large and varied loads of heavy and/or waste materials. Similarly, a wide variety of slide-on/snap-on or hinged covers that are attached to the upper surface of the side and end walls (the perimeter) of the bed are available. Such covers are generally positioned flat on the upper surface of the bed and are made of solid material or tightly stretched fabric; they protect materials in the bed, but the height of a load is limited to the height of the sidewalls. Such covers are frequently considered to enhance the appearance of the vehicle.
Many pickup owners/operators seek a simple, removable bed cover for two purposes: to reasonably protect a load in transit from dirt and debris and from precipitation, and/or to prevent (or minimize) material (frequently yard and garden waste and household garbage) from blowing from the bed, causing an accident or adding to road side litter. Many jurisdictions mandate the use of a load cover by vehicles transporting waste to minimize, if not prevent the discharge and spread of road side litter. In response to anti-littering regulations, most large, commercial, waste-hauling vehicles are equipped with a bed (load) cover that is deployed and retracted by some type of mechanical arm. Pickup owners/operators face the same types of anti-litter regulations and civic obligations related to litter control. Recognition of the need for means to cover pickup beds is not new.
The apparently original bed cover remains in popular use, a tarpaulin of dimensions equal to or somewhat greater than the pickup bed to be covered and adequate rope to secure the tarpaulin over the load and to secure the load in the bed. Most pickups are equipped with at least adequate points of attachment in the corners of the bed for securing a cover and/or load.
Numerous variations of pickup bed covers have been the subject matter of United States patents. Many have claims for multiple uses, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,607,876 issued to Reed Aug. 26, 1986 and described as a tensional cover for the bed of a pickup, or a collapsible tent. See also Allen, U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,528 issued Apr. 26, 1988 for related technology including a frame to secure tie-down ropes that can also be used as a sleeping surface.
In terms of devices designed to cover loads being transported in the bed of a pickup truck, U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,924 issued Sep. 24, 1991 to Hansen discloses improvements on the basic “tarpaulin/rope tie down system.” A series of elasticized straps is attached to a tarpaulin in the pattern of a series of X's such that interstitial sections of the straps (sections between segments of the same strap connected to the tarpaulin) are stretched before being attached to the tarpaulin. Ends of the straps are attached to the pickup bed at corners and mid-points of the bed. After the bed is loaded, the tarpaulin is stretched over the load and connected to the pickup bed, the tension on the straps is released, tightening the cover over the load. The invention includes an elastic cord encased in a seam to secure the bottom edge of the tarpaulin. A significant limitation to this scheme is the limited degree of expansion/retraction allowed by the attached elasticized cords.
Weyand in U.S. Pat. No. 6,224,139 issued May 1, 2001 discloses a bed cover comprising a tarpaulin with a fabric cover sheet with lengths of elastic band positioned in a hem extending along a portion of the perimeter of the tarpaulin. Spaced cutouts are positioned at corners and elsewhere exposing part of the elastic band and permitting the elastic band to be stretched from the hem and be connected to a hook structure on the pickup bed (or other portion of the vehicle) to secure the tarpaulin and to cover the bed. Individual lengths of elastic band are secured in the material by a loop around a rivet. This design provides a good fit for a specific area, but allows little flexibility for expansion for varying loads and has no significant strength to secure, or tie down the load. It found specific use in protecting equipment in specific areas of certain types of emergency vehicles.
Fox and Fox in U.S. Pat. No. 7,229,121 issued Jul. 12, 2007 describe a covering device for a pickup bed or similar structure comprising a cover with a cord positioned in a sheath formed from the cover and extending the full perimeter of the cover. The cord is exposed at various points along the perimeter of the cover, including the corners. The cover is securely connected to the vehicle by hooks connecting the exposed cord to points at the corners and elsewhere in the bed of the pickup. This invention provides a flat cover for the bed that is tight, and many feel it enhances the appearance of the vehicle. it offers little flexibility in terms of adaptation to load size and provides no load tie-down security.